Signalling device



July 26, 1966 I. F. ZIMMER 3,262,417

SIGNALLING DEVICE Filed Oct. 20, 1965 Fl G. 4 //VVEN7'0R ISIDORE P. ZHVHVIER convenience.

United States Patent 3,262,417 SIGNALLING DEVICE Isidore I. Zimmer, 415 76th t., Miami Beach, Fla. Filed Oct. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 498,371 Claims. (Cl. 116-135) This invention is directed to signalling devices.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a signalling device which is readily manipulated by an individual for the purpose of indicating to a driver of a bus, cab or other mass transportation vehicle the particular conveyance he is waiting for and wishes to stop for his Another object of the present invention is to provide a signalling device having an indicator which is actuated upon pressing a lever and upon release of the lever, the indicator is returned to its non-visible position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a signalling device with a plurality of indicators on which markings visible at a distance indicate the type of trans portation or the particular bus desired by the operator of the device so that only the driver concerned will stop at the position of the indicator to pick up the person operat ing the signalling device.

With these and other objects in View, the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a signalling device constructed in accordance with my invention showing one of the indicators in the up or signalling position.

FIGURES 2 and 3 are cross sectional views taken along the lines 22 and 3-3 of FIGURE 1 with a ditferent signalling member shown in the up position by FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan View as seen with the housing removed.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views, the numeral refers generally to my signalling device consisting of a receptacle having a base plate 11 and end plates 12 and 15 integrally fabricated. The base plate 11 is provided with upwardly extending flanges 13 for fastening asat 16 a U-shaped housing 14 thereon along the lower edges thereof and as 17 along the top wall 18 of the housing 14. Slots 20 are formed in the top wall 18 to permit signalling members 21, 22, and 23 to pass therethrough as is described in detail hereinafter.

Mounted within the housing 14 and adjacent each of the signalling members 21, 22 and 23 is a rod 25 whose lower end is secured to the base plate 11. Each of the rods 25 is provided with a sleeve 26 which is slidably mounted on the rods 25 and a bolt 27 securing the'sleeve 26 to each of the signalling devices 21, 22 and 23 whereby upon the sliding movement of the sleeve 26 on the rod 25 their respective signalling members 21, 22 and 23 will slide up and down in the device 10.

The end plate 15 is provided with a plurality of slots 28, 29, 30 along approximately its full heights. Through the slots 28, 29 and 30, there extend actuating levers 31, 32 and 33 respectively with actuating buttons 34, 35 and 36 mounted on the outer or free ends of the actuating levers.

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Actuating lever 33 is pivotally mounted as at 37 at approximately its mid-portion to a post 38 extending upwardly of the base plate 11. The free end 39 of the actuating lever engages the bolt 27 which secures the collar 26 to the signalling member 22 so that upon depressing the actuating button 36, the lever 33 will pivot about the pivot pin 37 causing the end 39 of the lever 33 to swing upwardly carrying the pin 27, collar 26 and signalling member 22 upwardly along the rod 25. The signalling member 22 will now appear in view above the housing 14. A coil spring 40 extending between the post 38 and lever 33 will return the signalling member 22 to its lowered position when the actuating button 36 has been released.

The lever 31 is pivoted at approximately its mid-portion by a pivot pin 42 that is mounted on a post 41. The free end 43 of the actuating lever 31 engages a pin 44 secured to collar 26 of the signalling member 21. A coil spring 45 extends between the post 41 and the lever 31 whereby the signalling member 21 is normally maintained in its non-signalling or lowered position and upondepressing the button 34, the lever 31 is pivoted about the pivot pin 42 against the spring pressure 45 and the signalling member 21 will be slid upwardly in view to its signalling position. Release of the button 34 will cause the spring 45 to return the signalling member 21 to its lowered position.

The lever 32 which extends through the slot 29 is pivoted by a pivot pin 46 that is mounted on the post 41. The free end 47 of the lever 32 engages a pin 48 that is mounted on a second lever 49. The lever 49 is pivotally mounted as at 54 at one end to a post 51 while the other end 53 of the lever 49 engages a pin 52 secured to the collar 26 which supports the signalling member 23. When the button 35 is pushed downwardly, the lever 32 will pivot about the pin 46 to cause thefree end 47- of the lever 32 to force upwardly against the pin 48 and compel the lever 49 to swing upwardly about the pivot pin 50. The upward movement of the end 53 of the lever 49 causes the collar 26 and the signalling member 23 to slide upwardly to its signalling position. When the downward force has been released from the button 35, a coil spring 54 extending between lever 32 and a bolt 55 secured to end wall 15 will cause the lever 32 and button 35 to swing upwardly. This causes the lever 49 to swing downwardly and permit the collar 26 and the signalling member 23 to slide back into the receptacle housing 14 to the non-signalling position.

With proper markings or notations made on the signalling members 21, 22 and 23 the appearance of the particular signalling member in the up or signalling posi tion will indicate to a bus, cab or other motor vehicle drivers that the person actuating the signalling device 10 wishes to board the particular vehicle so indicated. Consequently by mounting the signalling device 10 on a post or a bracket whereby the signalling members 21, 22, and 23 can be viewed by the aforesaid drivers of motor vehicles, a person can actuate the desired button 34, 35 or 36 to flag the particular transportation desired. As soon as the person leaves the signalling device 10 to board the motor vehicle, his release of the button. 34, 35 or 36 that he had been holding down, in order to maintain the particular signalling member 21, 22 or 23 in signalling position, will impel the signalling member concerned to slide downwardly out of sight and out of signalling position to within the confines of the housing 14. i

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A signalling device comprising a housing having an end wall and a top wall, a bottom wall secured to said housing and forming a chamber, a plurality of rods mounted on said bottom wall and extending upwardly in said chamber, a sleeve slidably mounted on each of said rods, a pin secured to each of said sleeves, a signalling member secured to each of said sleeves and positioned within said chamber, said end and top walls having a plurality of slots, a plurality of posts mounted on said bottom wall, a plurality of levers extending through said slots in said endv wall, a push button mounted on one end of said levers, pivot pins securing said levers to said posts for swinging movement of said levers, the other ends of said levers engaging said pins on said sleeves whereby upon exerting a force downwardly on said push buttons, said levers will pivot about said pivot pins and said signalling members are slid upwardly on said rods through said slots in said top wall to the signalling position.

2. A signalling device comprising a housing having an end wall and a top wall, a bottom wall secured to said housing and forming a chamber, a plurality of rods mounted on said bottom wall and extending upwardly in said chamber, a sleeve slidably mounted on each of said rods, a pin secured to each of said sleeves, a signalling member secured to each of said sleeves and positioned within said chamber, said end and top walls having a plurality of slots, a plurality of posts mounted on said bottom wall, a plurality of levers extending through said slots in said end wall, a push button mounted on one end of said levers, pivot pins securing said levers to said posts for swinging movement of said levers, the other ends of said levers engaging said pins on said sleeves whereby upon exerting a force downwardly on said push buttons, said levers will pivot about said pivot pins, said signalling members are slid upwardly on said rods through said slots in said top wall to the signalling position and spring means secured to each of said levers yieldingly urging said push buttons to their upward position and said signalling members returning downwardly to their non-signalling position within said housing.

3. A signalling device comprising a housing having an end wall and a top wall, a bottom wall secured to said housing and forming a chamber, a rod mounted on said bottom wall and extending upwardly in said chamber, a sleeve slidably mounted on said rod, a pin secured to said sleeve, a signalling member secured to said sleeve and positioned within said chamber, said top wall and said end wall having a slot, a plurality of posts mounted on said bottom wall, a lever extending through said slot in said end wall and into said chamber, a push button mounted on one end of said lever outside said housing, a pivot pin securing said lever to one of said posts for swinging movement of said lever, a second lever, a pivot pin securing one end of said second lever to the other of said posts, the other end of said second lever engaging said pin mounted on said sleeve, and the free end of said first named lever engaging said second lever intermediate its ends whereby upon exerting a downward force on said push button said first and second levers swing about their pivot pins and said signalling member is slid upwardly on said rod through said slot in said top wall to the signalling position.

4. A signalling device comprising a housing having an end wall and a top wall, a bottom wall secured to said housing and forming a chamber, a rod mounted on said bottom wall and extending upwardly in said chamber, a sleeve slidably mounted on said rod, a pin secured to said sleeve, a signalling member secured to said sleeve and positioned within said chamber, said top wall and said end wall having a slot, a plurality of posts mounted on said bottom wall, a lever extending through said slot in said end wall and into said chamber, a push button mounted on one end of said lever outside said housing, a pivot pin securing said lever to one of said posts for swinging movement of said lever, a second lever, a pivot pin securing one end of said second lever to the other of said posts, the other end of said second lever engaging said pin mounted on said sleeve, and the free end of said first named lever engaging said second lever intermediate its ends whereby upon exerting a downward force on said push button said first and second levers swing about their pivot pins, said signalling member is slid upwardly on said rod through said slot in said top wall to the signalling position and spring means secured to said first named lever yieldingly urging said push button to its upward position and said signalling member returning downwardly to its non-signalling position within said housing.

5. A signalling device comprising a housing having an end wall and a top wall, a bottom wall secured to said housing and forming a chamber, a plurality of rods mounted on said bottom wall and extending upwardly in said chamber, a sleeve slidably mounted on each of said rods, a pin secured to each of said sleeves, a signalling member secured to each of said sleeves and positioned within said chamber, said end and top walls having a plurality of slots, a plurality of posts mounted on said bottom wall, a plurality of levers extending through said slots in said end Wall, a push button mounted on one end of said levers, pivot pins securing said levers to said posts for swinging movement of some of said levers, the other ends of said some of said levers engaging said pins on said sleeves whereby upon exerting a downward force on some of said push buttons, said some of said levers will pivot about said pivot pins and some of said signalling members are slid upwardly on said rods through some of said slots in said top wall to the signalling position, a further lever, a pivot pin securing one end of said further lever to the other of said posts, the other end of said further lever engaging said pin mounted on the other of said sleeves and the free end of the other of said first named levers engaging said further lever intermediate its ends for actuating said other of said signalling members to its signalling position.

No references cited.

LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SIGNALLING DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING AN END WALL AND A TOP WALL, A BOTTOM WALL SECURED TO SAID HOUSING AND FORMING A CHAMBER, A PLURALITY OF RODS MOUNTED ON SAID BOTTOM WALL AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY IN SAID CHAMBER, A SLEEVE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID RODS, A PIN SECURED TO EACH OF SAID SLEEVES, A SIGNALLING MEMBER SECURED TO EACH OF SAID SLEEVES AND POSITIONED WITHIN SAID CHAMBER, SAID END AND TOP WALLS HAVING A PLURALITY OF SLOTS, A PLURALITY OF POSTS MOUNTED ON SAID BOTOM WALL, A PLURALITY OF LEVERS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOTS IN SAID END WALL, A PUSH BUTTON MOUNTED ON ONE END OF SAID LEVERS, PIVOT PINS SECURING SAID LEVERS TO SAID POSTS FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID SLEEVES, THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID LEVERS ENGAGING SAID PINS ON SAID SLEEVES WHEREBY UPON EXERTING A FORCE DOWNWARDLY ON SAID PUCH BUTTONS, SAID LEVERS WILL PIVOT ABOUT SAID PIVOT PINS AND SAID SIGNALLING MEMBERS ARE SLID UPWARDLY ON SAID RODS THROUGH SAID SLOTS IN SAID TOP WALL TO THE SIGNALLING POSITION. 